Like his fellow detainees, the boy is required to wake up at 6:30 a.m., make his bed and clean his room before heading to breakfast. He is in school from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., after which he can take a nap if he chooses.

Around 3 p.m., the youngsters at the maximum-security facility are allowed some time to play, either in a small grassy area or on asphalt, both of which are surrounded by chain-link fences topped with razor wire. Basketballs, volleyballs and soccer balls remain stuck in the wire where they came to rest after an errant toss.

About 4 p.m., the minors get ready for dinner, after which there’s time for treatment or educational programs — such as anger management, coping skills or literacy — and then back to bed by 9:30 p.m. They are not allowed to watch television or use computers, unless they’re doing something for school or it’s related to their rehabilitation programs.

The boy’s lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Marian Gaston, has said repeatedly in court that he is doing well and is receiving excellent care.

Stover noted that some of the staff have found it difficult having such a young boy at Juvenile Hall and didn’t believe he should stay there, because of his age and other special needs. But Stover commended the staffers for their patience, particularly those who interact with the boy daily.

“It’s been challenging,” Stover said. “But hopefully the child gets the treatment or help that he needs.”

If the boy’s case proceeds, it is still unclear where he could end up if he is ultimately convicted of a crime, known as a “true finding” in Juvenile Court. Unlike adult court, the purpose of the juvenile system is rehabilitation rather than punishment.

The San Diego County Probation Department operates two camps in rural East County for boys whose cases have been settled. Neither is set up to handle someone as young as 11.

“We’re not used to dealing with the maturity issues of an 11-year-old,” said ranch superintendent Heidi Barajas. “We’d have to write a whole new program for him.”

The number of preteen children found responsible for murder is minuscule.

In 2008, an 8-year-old Arizona boy was charged with shooting and killing his father and his father’s friend. At the age of 10, the boy was sentenced to a residential treatment facility and probation until he turns 18.

A Pennsylvania boy was told recently he will spend up to seven years in a residential treatment program for shooting and killing his father’s pregnant fiancée. He was 11 at the time of the 2009 murder.

In Riverside, a 10-year-old boy was charged last year with murdering his neo-Nazi father. The shooting took place inside the family’s home.